To Love Two Faces
by Yako-chan278
Summary: One girl. Two faces. Two people. "It's me." They argued. He didn't know. Sisters? He thought so. Vocaloid/Genderbend. Rated T for 'other' Miku.
1. Prologue

**And I now got an idea for another story. Wonderful. **

**This is mainly my friend's fault. Well. Enjoy?**

* * *

He likes me.

No, he likes me.

But-

Shut up. He-

This happens a lot. I don't know what I can say about it. Most of the time, whenever we get to, it just goes on like this. I can't explain.

But she... She argues a lot. We argue. We yell. We fight. She wins. She always wins. I never get to do what I want when she wins. When she wins, I can't control. She goes off, she does what she likes. I just watch her do it.

We're good friends. We're very close. Sometimes a little too close, but that's alright. She shares her things with me, and I share mine with her. We share everything. Not like we have a choice.

But we like each other. When we're not arguing, we're friends. Very good friends. We do so much together.

We talk together, we laugh together, we cry together. There's nothing I haven't done without her. We're almost inseparable. We're inseparable.

Not that anyone else finds it like that.

...

You think you understand? You can't see, you can't feel, so you can't... You can't... You're stuck. A wimp. That's what she is. Block me out? Fine. Shut me down? Fine. Not when he's around.

Are you taking pity on her? What about me? She's not the original, if that's what you're thinking. Neither am I. We're both just friends, if you can see it like that. Neither is the original, neither is the extra.

She told me not to talk too much. Physically? No?

I cannot have my life around her.

But I like her. I like her too much. To confide in, to hide with, to whisper every single goddamn secret with someone who never listens, never understands.

At times, we are together.

At others, I take over.

...

When I-

Sorry.

When we see him.

I can't explain, we can't explain, we don't know what to say. She fights, I fight back, and in the end nothing ever works out. So we hide. Hide and run, that's all we do. I can't talk. She can't talk. We can't talk. Nobody's there, nobody can help us.

If he found out...

Maybe I should let it go on. Maybe things will just fall into place, like it always does.

But it's never a story. Storybooks. Princes. Princesses. It never happens. Don't expect it to happen.

I can say that to you myself. We can.

Because we, are in fact, one.

One girl.

It's me. Miku.


	2. Chapter 1

**I didn't put the comments at the end of the prologue, 'cause... Yeah. :3c**

**But I seriously have no idea what I'm doing. Nevertheless, hope you enjoy it~**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Miku Hatsune. But yes to _this_** **Mikuo**

* * *

It was another one of those days. You know what I mean. Everyone has them. And one of those days means everyday, if you've got nothing to do in school. Especially on the first day, when you don't know anyone unless you count the ones in the lower grades, and everyone around you has no idea who each other are. I knew most of the students though, and they knew me. Not like we were exactly friends. But if you sit and eat together, teachers consider that friendship enough. But really, I was too shy to talk to anyone. I just wanted to sit here and draw and try to keep my grades up. I couldn't even answer a question in class without stammering or blushing. Fiddling with my pencil I looked out of the window. White clouds rolled by. So carefree, I thought enviously. I want to lay down among you, too. But even if I was given the chance, I'd be too shy to even mingle with clouds. Clouds. I can't even- Huh?

The teacher spoke to us in her annoying voice I would always try to be patient and kind with, as she waved her hands at several new kids in front of the class. There were four. Two were boys, two were girls. I didn't know any of them, but they seemed reluctant to know us. Well, if we were on the same boat, I guess there was no need to sink it.

"...And that's Mikuo."

What?

I wasn't paying attention. I didn't bother to step up and introduce myself to them like what all the others were doing now. I had only caught the last boy's name. What was it? Mikuo? I didn't even dare to ask him if I heard right. I just sat quietly and waited for everyone to settle down so we could start the lesson. So I waited. Eventually everyone returned to their seats.

"Why don't you tell us a little about yourselves, kids? Make them feel welcome."

No.

No.

No.

I stared down at my hands, trying not to look up, but no matter what, I'd have to introduce myself. I hated doing that. I always stuttered and stammered, and never knew what to say. And then some people would giggle and snicker, especially if you didn't know them that well. And with four new people, this wasn't going to be a very good day.

But I had to do it. "Girl? Your turn."

I stood up reluctantly, trying to force my eyes up. "I... I... I'm... Ha..." I stammered softly. I took a breath. "I'm... I'm... H-Hatsune Miku!" I squeaked finally, clamping my hands together, hoping that was all I was supposed to say.

Unfortunately... Nope.

"Tell them about yourself, then."

"I... I... I like... To... Um... That is..." My eyes were darting everywhere, trying to spot at least one familiar face, but amidst the sea of faces before me, I saw none. I expected that. "I... Sing... Um... I... Really like..." I was doing my best not to sob, not to break down into tears like I'd had done so many times before. The only eyes I picked up were Mikuo's, who was looking back at me worriedly. I panicked even more.

"Hatsune Miku." Someone cut in.

I jerked and looked around. What the- Then I recognized the bounce of hair, the empty eyes and lying smile. "She's too shy to talk at all, leave her alone." She said curtly, but I knew what was going on. Flicking her dull blonde hair backwards, she leaned forward and smiled. "She's into that singing stuff, not that it'd interest you, eh? I mean, singing? Come on!" She gave a dry laugh and started to continue, but the teacher stopped her. Ah, Miss, finally useful for once.

"That's enough, Hideyo. Next, please."

Hideyo... Her name made my eyes water, but I sat down quickly. Hideyo. That meant 'great' or 'excellent', if I remembered right. Excellent in being a snob. I felt awful thinking that about her, so I simply turned away and tried not to listen to the other students introduce them self without problem. As soon as the roll call ended, the two girls flitted off, and the green-haired boy led his friend, I suppose, away.

The green-haired boy seemed to know... What? Mikuo? They took the only empty seats next to me as the other two girls were left in the middle of the class, middle of attention. One of them had long, blonde curly hair, and the other had fiery red hair tied up into one quick ponytail. They looked opposites. Soft, gentle then loud, bold. I sighed. If only they knew.

"Alright class. Do you remember what we were working on last year?"

Everyone nodded, some groaned softly, the always too brainy ones nodded excitedly, and we all pulled out our binders and took out our project. Mikuo and the other kids got handed their binders, and we began work. Not a very good start to a new school year.

"Ah... Excuse me... Miku, right?"

I dropped my binder and pencil box, and hit my head on the table leg as I scrambled to pick them up. I bowed my head, praying I wouldn't start crying again. "Yes..." I whispered.

"Right. Do we put this paper on the front of the back of the binder? What's this one for?"

"I... Uh..." I looked around nervously. "Front. Index." I said, and turned back to my work. He blinked at me and smiled, and bent back over his desk.

"Thanks."

I said nothing, just blushed.

I was never good at talking with people.

...

I strutted away from the school building, the students around me whispering. Hah. What did they know? Hair untied, shirt ruffled and untucked, nothing like the clean little girl they had seen earlier. Not like I cared. It was cool! Plus, the boys from the basketball team from the other school were good friends with me. She just kept quiet. I wanted to be seen, be known, make friends.

"Um, hey!"

What? I turned to see a familiar-looking teal head running towards me.

"Oh! Hey! Mi- Whaaaat-" He stopped, eyes wide, staring at me in confusement.

"Yeah?"

"I thought... But just... What... Whaaat?" He opened and closed his mouth, trying to say something, but if he did, I couldn't hear it. "But... But... What happened to Miku? I thought? What?"

I rolled my eyes. "Oh. Miku. She's my... Uh... Sister." I lied, thinking quickly. "I'm... Ah... Ukimi?" I tried to sound confident, but I didn't know if that was even a name. Oops. Eh, too late.

"Oh. Cool. Okay, I wanted to tell her that she left her notebook in class. She's a really good artist." He handed me a large white sketch book with the green negi stickers. I knew it too well.

"Ah! Y-You saw..." I gasped, losing control of myself. I took in a hissing breath and calmed down. No. She wasn't taking me here, not now. "Yeah. Thanks." I grabbed the notebook and stuffed it into my bag.

"You're not in the same class as us?" He asked, but I really wanted to run away. She wanted to run away. I wasn't going to let her. "You guys really look the same.. Are you twins?"

I thought for a moment. "Um... No."

"Okay then. See you later, Ukimi." He waved and walked off. As soon as I was out of his sight, I turned and ran, pushing past the crowds of girls. No, no, no...

Too late.

My face red and heated as I ran, I tried not to cry. I... We got ourselves into horrible situations, I didn't want to think about it.

Once again I can say, I'm no good with people.

But in a way we're both not.

* * *

**And... Yeah! Hope you liked it! Short? Yes? No? Confusing? Yes of course. But thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 2

**After a few chapters I swear I'm going to go down and get bored, and then come up with a new story. Inspiration? D:**

Reviews

**KindaLikingIt**  
Thank you~

**Red eagle**  
Yep! Somehow I managed to get that out of my friend. Thank youu~

* * *

"Miku, you look exhausted. Are you alright?" That was the first thing I heard as I stepped into the house.

"Miku? You okay? What happened? Is someone chasing you?"

"Someone's chasing you? Ooh! Is it a boy?"

Luka gave Rin a look and she grinned and slunk away. Luka pulled me into the kitchen. "What's going on? You look like you ran the whole way. There's some leftover leek soup from last night. Eat up and take a rest."

"I did..." I said softly, but denied I said anything when Luka looked at me. "Okay.."

I sat down at the kitchen table where Rin was already shoveling orange sherbet into her mouth. "Were you really being chased by someone?" She asked a little too cheerfully, between crunches of ice.

"Rin, don't talk with your mouth full." Meiko said sternly, sitting down next to me with her own bowl. "And no, she isn't."

"You know what I would do," Rin continued anyway, her spoon in one hand, other pointing at me. "If it were that cute new boy in class, I'd turn back and chase him instead."

"Rinto?!" Len cried, appearing out of nowhere. He slammed his hands on the table. "What is it that girls like about him so much!? Why do you find him better than your own brother? What does he have that I don't!?"

"It's obvious, dear brother." Rin said simply, scooping more sherbet into her mouth.

I looked down at my creamy bowl of soup, watching the bits of leek float around, forming shapes.

"Miku?"

I looked up at Kaiko's voice, who came in from the back door, pulling off her muddy rubber boots before she stepped in. "You're not looking so happy." She said, pulling a sad face as she took a seat next to Len, who was still interrogating Rin.

"Really?" I forced a smile.

Kaiko frowned. "Really."

"Well, uh, then..." I stood up and set my still full of soup bowl at the sink. "I'm... Going to my room. I have a lot of homework." I walked out of the dining room and upstairs, already sensing everyone's eyes on my back.

I threw my bag onto my desk and flopped onto my bed, pillows collapsing on top of me. Something fell to the ground, and I sat up. The white sketchbook with the leek stickers. I shuddered unknowingly. I hated myself for leaving it. I didn't want to talk to him, or anyone else. I wanted to curl up under a blanket and never wake up. But of course, the story hadn't been set for me.

...

"Hey, Kukai." I said, slapping a high-five with the blue-clothed boy. "What's up? How's the team?"

"We're cool here. Just another practice. But Tadase says we're really doing better, so all's cool. You good?"

"You bet. See ya!" I waved and headed off.

His school wasn't too far from mine, but the bell was already going off by the time I got there. There's nothing like a sparkly grand entrance... Not. "Miss Hatsune. You're late." The annoying voice screeched at me, as I pushed the door open, every rustle signalling a head turning towards me. I wore down, softened, defeated.

"I'm... Sorry." I mumbled, rushing to my seat, head bent, trying not to look up at anyone else. If I so much as looked at someone's face, I would've burst into tears. I pulled out my binder and tried not to notice anyone.

"Hey." I heard a whisper as I tried to focus on my work. I ignored it. I didn't want to talk. I didn't want to look. My face was heating up enough already. I wanted everything to melt away behind me, like it always did when the people disappeared. When they were finally able to get out of my head. "Hey. Um... Miku?" I still didn't respond, until I felt a poke on my elbow. I gasped and whimpered, but still refused to look up. "Ah. Sorry. Miku? Can you hear me?"

I looked up from my book, but I didn't turn. I kept my eyes on the board, where inky black words were already starting to draw themselves out. They looked too hypnotizing to be school work. "Um... I'll take that as a yes." Someone said. "Did your sister give you your sketchbook back? I saw her after school yesterday." A brief nod. Nothing more, only once, hoping he'd seen it. "Okay, good. By the way-"

"Ah, Mr. Hachune **((Bahaha I couldn't think of anything better))**. I do hope you're enjoying your little chat with Miss Hatsune. Would you mind me asking why you find talking with her more interesting than listening to your teacher?"

I bent down again, willing myself not to cry, but my eyes were already water, everyone else's on me and Mikuo. I would indeed mind. Very much. "Oh..." Mikuo coughed. "I... Er..." He shot a glance at me, looking nervously, but I was too shy to look back. I stared at the empty page of my book, never wanting my eyes to leave from it.

"Only once. Don't talk while I'm teaching, now."

Mikuo waited for a few seconds, then opened his mouth. "Of course, Mrs. **((Mrs? Miss? Idk.)) **Sorry."

I heard Hideyo snicker, and as I hard as I forced myself, something wet plopped down onto the page of my book. I turned to the next page immediately. Like every story, it had to continue, but like every book, it all goes downhill.

...

"Ah! Mi- Oh, Ukimi." I was sitting on the bench at the playground several blocks away from the school building, watching three kids run around, shouting and calling. Black hair, blonde hair, green hair, the pattern went on as they ran so fast they practically filled the entire park. I didn't feel like moving out, or going anywhere, but I felt perfectly fine too. Like nothing had happened. Like I didn't give a care in the world.

"Yo." I answered.

Mikuo jogged up to me. "Hey. Where's Miku?" He asked, looking around. "I just... Well, thought you'd be going home together, since you're, uh, sisters and all. I just wanted to apologize to her about something."

I looked away. "Nah, she'll be fine." I closed my eyes. Apology accepted.

"Uh... Well, alright..." He looked around before settling his eyes on the children. They were all over the monkey bars now. "Um, hey, you always come here? It's a pretty neat place."

I looked at the area before me. I never noticed. I guess it kind of was. "I... Yeah. Unless it rains, of course." We both laughed, and then Mikuo sat down next to me, and then one of the kids looked at us and smiled, and then we talked until they had to go home.

"Hey, it was nice talking to you." Mikuo said, standing up. "Say hi to Miku when you get home, okay?"

"No problem." I laughed weakly, waving as I watched him disappear from my sight. But once he was gone, I jumped up. Giggly. Happy. Whatever. I bounded home, opening the door and singing out "I'm hooo~ooome!"

"You're late." Was the first thing I heard.

"I'm happy." I replied.

Meiko smiled. "Good enough. Go get changed, then come down for dinner."

...

"OOH! Curry!" Rin exclaimed as she dug her spoon into the gooey mess on her plate and held it up to her mouth. Then she stopped. "Miku? You're happy."

"I am." I grinned.

"Okay. Cool." She continued eating, but she was still peering at me. "Are you dating someone?" She asked suddenly.

"RIN!" Everyone at the table gasped.

"I will." She went on, ignoring everyone else. "One day. Soon. Very soon." Len pouted. "So who is it?"

I sighed, shaking my head. "I'm not dating anyone, gee whiz Rin." I smiled faintly. "Why, are you?"

...

I looked at my sketchbook. If that's what you could call it, that is. Instead of just drawings, it was filled with newspaper clippings, magazine pieces, receipts, lyrics, and any other piece of paper I found interesting and could stick it in. But still, he had found it. He had still seen the random sketches, the colored pieces, the water colored works, every drawing I had done. He had seen it. No, I was not over-reacting.

I flipped to the last page, and I gasped. I looked down at the drawing, eyes wide. What... It was him. Him. Every detail I sketched out, everything in size and absolutely perfect. I wasn't even aware I had been drawing this. I looked at the date, and breathed out. It was after her had returned the book to me, thank god. But I continued to stare at the drawing. Wow. I was good. I didn't even know.

But then I frowned. Why was I drawing him? Why did I draw him? Why did every time I looked at his face, I wanted to take it down and keep it forever? So I... Drew it. But why, _why_ exactly was I drawing him? It was true I was the first new student he had talked to, and it was my sketchbook her returned, but I was sure he was talking to plenty other of boys and girls as well. I mean, you couldn't just talk to only one person in an entire school.

And besides, we'd only just met. I know that's what a lot of storybooks have in them, but I'm really and truly saying, we're just friends. Okay friends. Acquaintances. Mikuo and my 'sister'. And me. Mikuo and me. And us. Ugggghhhh. I lay my head on the table. I didn't want to think anymore. About Rin, about dating, about school, about anything, especially about him.

But for the rest of the night, I did.

And for the rest of the week.

...Oh, no.

* * *

**Aaaand there we go. Honestly I have no idea where I'm going with this. Going with the flow? (´△`)ノ**

**Also, Kukai and Tadase, yesss... I couldn't think of any other names. :T**

**But... Yeah! Hope you liked it! **


	4. Chapter 3

**Okay. I was writing the next chapter for Mirror Image earlier, but then halfway through it got... Er, awkward, so now I'm just going to write this until I come up with a better idea.**

**idk man what am I doing**

* * *

Oh no oh no oh no.

I didn't want to look at him anymore. It didn't matter who it was, me or her, we'd both fire up. I wasn't ready for this sort of thing. I didn't want any of this to happen. This is all his fault. I hate- No, no, calm down. Oh god, I was going crazy. I couldn't control myself. Ourselves. I didn't want to go to school. I didn't want to get out of bed. I just wanted to stay and hide and never be seen by any other human being again. But that's not the story that was given to me.

Grumpy and grudgingly, Meiko forced the umbrella in my hand and sent me out the door, locking it behind me. Now I was in the front porch, almost safe from the rain. All I had to do, she said, was to just open the umbrella and get myself to school. I sighed, and opened it, the bright teal cloth springing out into a circle. When I was small I really liked umbrellas of this color, and instead of using it to shield myself from the rain, I'd dance around with it, and then get scolded when I came back sneezing and coughing.

I held the umbrella above me and walked towards the path to our school, where other students, some from my school, some from others, with and without umbrellas, running towards their destination. My destination? Back into bed. But that was something I wasn't allowed to do. I trudged on, and Gumi bounded up behind me, making the puddles of water splash at our feet. "Miku!" She exclaimed, then ran to my side. "What's the matter?"

I smiled weakly. "Oh... It's nothing. I'm just... Tired. That's all."

She pursed her lips, then nodded. She looked up at the darkening clouds practically hovering right over us. "Huh. Well, it looks like there's no sports today."

Usually this would've perked me up - I absolutely hated sports. I hated running, getting tired, sweating, laughed at for being slow. Unless it was Ukimi of course. She could really do a whole lot of things, so she usually took her place when they started laughing. Then they usually shut up, but next week they'd start again if Ukimi didn't come before sports started. But today, this didn't really help. I just felt as glum as usual.

"You don't look tired."

"I-It's nothing, r-really! I just-"

"You look more upset. Oh well, but I guess it's none of my business, huh?" Ukimi stared at her. Damn right it wasn't. I pulled her away, and tried to concentrate on Gumi talking, but her words just dripped away, like the drops of water dripping from my umbrella, splashing onto the ground, meaningless words that I didn't want to listen to. "...And don't forget, okay? Well, see you!" She went off again, and I had to step backwards before she splashed water onto my shoes. Wait... What did she say?

"G-Gumi..." I called out, but my weak voice failed me, and she was already bounding off. I sighed out. Oh bother. I shook my head. I don't think I'd ever survive school. Sighing, I gripped my umbrella tighter as the blustery wind blew past me, and I winced, as though if I didn't the strong breeze would knock me off my feet and send me sailing into the sky. As I walked on gloomily, the rain became heavier, every drop like hammers in miniature. Deep puddles formed at my feet, and I had to move about carefully so that I didn't step into any. Droplets of moisture began to drip from the tree leaves. They were sprinkling onto the grass like a gardener's hose. Then the rainfall became more intense. A wall of rain moved over the trees and the drops were drumming against the canopy. So much rain was falling that the sound blurred into one long whirring noise. It reminded me of the rotor blades on a helicopter.A strong blast of wind blew past me, and I lost grip on the umbrella. As soon as it was lifted into the sky, I gasped in shock as the rain fell upon me. "N-No!" I cried, turning to go after it. Ukimi growled angrily as she reached for the umbrella, jumping higher and higher. The umbrella flew to the end of the street, and she ran after it.

"Stop!" A hand caught me and pulled me back, and I landed against someone, the rain falling against me stopping abruptly. I looked up. Mikuo? He looked at me, grinning awkwardly, and I blushed. His face then turned into a frown. "Miku, you know you shouldn't just go running out into the street, especially when it's raining. We can get your umbrella back after school. I'm sure one of the guards will pick it up. Here, stand closer."

My face flushed, and I pulled away from him, shaking my head. Droplets of water fell at my skirt. "N-No! I c-c-can't!" I stammered, eyes downtrodden. "I-I w-wouldn't want to... To..." My voice failed me, and now I was just looking at my shoes, soaked in the rain, and so was the rest of my school uniform. I was going to catch a cold anyway. Now Meiko really was going to get mad.

Mikuo looked at me pitifully. "Come on. You're drenched. We'll get you dried off at school." I said nothing as he moved closer to put his umbrella above us, and I reluctantly began to follow him to school. What a day.

...

Mikuo came out with a towel, and handed it to me. I remained quiet and took the towel, slowly drying my hair. He watched me as I did, and my movements began to slow down, hands shaking. Ukimi looked at him. "What're you look-" No! I stumbled backwards, and Mikuo caught my arm again, pulling me towards him. The towel fell to my feet, but I fell against him. Again. I blushed, and pushed away. "I'm s-sorry." I stammered, turning and running. He watched me as I ran, a slightly hurt look on his face, but didn't call out. Great, now I felt even worse. "Idiot." Ukimi hissed.

I reached the classroom, still slightly damp from the drenching. Poor umbrella. I moved to my seat as everybody sat down, and Mikuo came in not too long after. He looked at me as he sat down, but I refused to look at him. Our grand old teacher wobbled in, and Ukimi groaned in protest. Mikuo shot a look at me, and I turned away. I forced Ukimi not to glare back at him, but she took over for the rest of the lesson.

Well, I supposed, it wasn't too bad as long as I tried to stay quiet. But Miku made quite a fuss. Oh well. Like every other student, I have had my fair share of boring classes; the kind of classes where students fight to stay awake and where the professor seemed to purposefully try to make his students miserable. I looked around restlessly. Class was boring. Absolutely BORING! You have no idea. The large room was surrounded by bland white walls without a single window in sight. The brown tables that populated the classroom prison were covered with eraser shavings and stained with dried up glue. The room was chilly and uncomfortable. The chairs were so cold that the gum latched to the underside of their seats looked like icicles. The coldness was likely the result of the door up at the front of the room that was always closed, hindering the circulation of the desired warm air. The classroom appeared to be able to hold around fifty students; however, my class only had fifteen students, all of which were spread out around the classroom to make the emptiness feel so much more severe.

The teacher stood up in front of the class like one of the Queen's guards; completely emotionless. Only on rare occasions would he look up from the yellow paper of which he was teaching from. His monotone voice was languid and drab, so much so that only the first row could actually hear what he was saying. The only thing more difficult than trying to understand his soft voice would be attempting to decipher his horrid handwriting. When he wrote on the board he purposefully never used punctuation to make it more difficult for his students to assess where a sentence ended and another began.

Oh god, I begged, when would class ever end? Besides chuckling at the professor's multicolored sweater that he wore every day, the only excitement one could possibly experience during the nightmarish hour and twenty minutes of this lesson was when he finally croaked "Class dismissed." Students threw up their books in happiness and bustled out of the classroom, Ukimi running out with them, most shouting whoops of happiness as we could finally escape to the next lesson.

Sports.

Hooray.

Except, hooray! I was actually happy, actually feeling up for once. I didn't have to take sports. I didn't have to run and trip and fall and be laughed at. And I didn't have to watch Ukimi throw several boys across the field like they weighed nothing. Instead, we replaced it with art class, something we hardly ever took, and something the principle wanted us to get a 'passion' in. Ukimi rolled her eyes as several brainy students talked about how they wanted to show their teacher how passionate they were about art, and others panicking about how bad they were at it.

I remembered the sketchbook Mikuo had passed back to me, and I stopped walking in the middle of the hall, students ignoring me as they brushed past. No. What was I doing? I could see Mikuo coming up from behind the stream of students, and I pressed on. I really didn't want to look at him now. I let the flood of students carry me to the art room, too tired to argue or do anything.

Our teacher, a lot younger than the rest of the lot that taught us, stood in front of the classroom with short, dark hair bouncing until her neck. Mrs Clara. We hardly saw her during the school week. There were streaks of white in her hair, but whether they were highlights or just caused from old age, we didn't find out. She removed her 80's glasses and beamed at us. "Alright, class. We're going to begin this unit at the beginning." She put her hands on her hips before tugging at a huge paint-splattered doctor's coat she was wearing. "I'm sure you've all been told to get your paint supplies."

There were nods and soft murmurs as students zipped open their bags, floods of pencils and watercolor palette and oil pastels and chalk bouncing onto the tables. I looked around in panic. Art supplies? Nobody had told me to get any art supplies! Gumi, sitting at another table shot a look at me, but I smiled weakly. Was that what she had been trying to tell me? Oh, if only I had listened instead of thinking about... A movement shattered my mind as Mikuo shuffled next to me, leaning over to take the bottles from the shelf behind me. Most of the students were about the classroom, reaching for the equipment they didn't already have. But they had all the essentials. This room didn't. I didn't. I started to panic. I was the only one who hadn't grabbed her art supplies from her locker. "Hey, did you forget yours?"

A voice interrupted my train of thought, and I was so startled I jumped and knocked the chair over, falling backwards. Mikuo caught the chair before it hit the floor, but left me to fall instead. I landed on the floor with a thud, but not loud enough to alert anyone else. If the chair had fallen, that would've caused a scene. Mikuo tried to help me up, but I pushed his hands away, tears already beginning to form at the corners of my eyes. "D-Don't... Go away." I sobbed, pushing a hand full of paint brushes away from me. I stood up and grabbed the chair, seating myself again at the empty table. He looked at me sadly, and I willed myself not to look back and burst into tears.

Mrs Clara walked towards me. "Girl, are you listening?" I looked up and jumped, and Mikuo stayed rooted to the spot. "I told you, if you don't have your art supplies, go get them from the store room. Honestly, kids these days don't listen to a thing adults are saying." Most of the class erupted into giggles behind me, and I wiped my stained cheeks. "You. Boy. Go follow her."

"Yes, Mrs Clara." A voice said solemnly. I looked up. She was pointing at Mikuo. Oh god, why? Ukimi murmured a snarky comment at our art teacher as she sashayed away. Mikuo turned towards me and set down the brushes on the table. "Come on, Miku. We don't want to make another scene."

Regretfully, I stood up and followed him out of the art room, both of us well aware of the eyes on our backs as we made our way to the storage room. Tears itched at my eyes, but I refused to let them fall as I trudged behind Mikuo, letting him lead me like he knew the school better than I did. I bet he did. I was too shy to explore the entire area, and ask anyone where any room was. He pushed open the door, and I was hit by the air that smelled of chalk, dust, and old paint. I shuffled in and looked around at the boxes and equipment stacked everywhere. I had no idea where I was supposed to look. "The art supplies are on the right cabinet..." Mikuo murmured. "Do you need help getting them? They're pretty high up."

I shook my head and took a stool seated by the side of the cupboard. "I'm fine." Placing it in front of the shelf, I stepped on it, blissfully ignoring the crack from below me as I reached up for the supplies. Another crack, and I fell myself topple backwards.

"Watch out!" I shrieked in shock and grasped for the cabinet, bringing it down with me as I fell, but someone tackled me to the side, and the tip of my shoe hit the cabinet's edge before it collapsed onto the floor. I squeezed my eyes shut, as if I was waiting for something to explode. Something shifted below me, and I turned over to find my face in Mikuo's chest. I jerked backwards, and he released me from his arms. "A-Are you okay?" He breathed. I turned towards the cabinet, laying on the ground, supplies broken and spilled everywhere, paint oozing out from boxes, papier-mâche broken and crumbled across the wood.

I broke down completely.

I turned back, a tightening of my throat and a short intake of breath forecast the explosion of emotion which to date, I had managed to keep buried deep inside. Heavy tears started rolling down my ashen cheeks, all the pent-up hysteria and dread was let loose in a paroxysm of choking and sobbing, so powerful in it's intensity that it shook my body until I could barely breathe. "Miku! Miku!" I heard the voice calling at me, shaking my shoulders, hands fumbling at my hair and trying to stop the tears. "Miku! Calm down, it's not your fault-"

"No!" I cried, covering my face with my hands, but another one took them away. "No! No, no..." I didn't want to talk to him, I didn't want to listen to him, and I didn't want to feel the hand that was holding mine and brushing away my tears.

"Don't cry. Miku. Please."

His voice was so warm, so comforting she couldn't help but to lean against him, tears splattering against his wet shirt. So soothing he seemed as he tried to comfort her, stroking her hair and finally wrapping his arms around her back. "Don't cry. It's not your fault. You had nothing to do with this." I felt him caress my cheek, and I started crying even harder. "Come on, Miku. Dry up those tears. We need to get back to class."

I-

"GO AWAY!" I shrieked, turning around and swinging my arm out. I hit something. No. I opened my eyes. Mikuo was seated in front of me, hand on his cheek, looking at me in shock. I hit him. No.

"Miku, I..."

"Just don't. P-Please... Just go away."

"Why? Tell me what's wrong." He pushed away a lock of my hair, and I swatted him away again. Now he looked hurt, and then I burst into tears again. "Miku. Miku, please. Stop it. What's the matter? I feel like it's my fault you're crying. Please..."

"I don't want to see you anymore."

"What?" He looked at me in shock.

"Don't talk to me... Or..." I paused, remembering something. "Stay away from me and Umiki. Just don't." I pushed his hands away and got up, turning and walking away. I'd skip class if I had to. I didn't want to see him, ever again.

But I still never got him out of my head.

* * *

**Yes.**

**Yes I did.**


End file.
